System and method for automatically checking an integrity of a guided vehicle

Abstract

A system and a method for checking the integrity of a guided vehicle that has a first car, a last car, and one or more optional intermediate cars. At least one beacon broadcasts a signal with a unique identifier that enables the beacon to be identified. A first beacon is installed on the first car. One or more amplifiers on the intermediate cars extend a transmission range of a beacon signal so that it reaches a gateway. The gateway, which is installed on the last car, receives the beacon signals and transmits them to a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU determines a presence of the first beacon by identifying, in the beacon signals transmitted by the gateway, the unique identifier of the first beacon.

1 . A system for checking an integrity of a guided vehicle, wherein the guided vehicle includes a first car, a last car, and optionally one or several intermediate cars between the first car and the last car, the system comprising:
 at least one beacon, each beacon being configured for wirelessly broadcasting a signal with a unique identifier enabling an identification of the beacon broadcasting the signal, and with at least one beacon being a first beacon to be installed on the first car;   optionally, one or several amplifiers for extending a transmission range of a received beacon signal to ensure that the beacon signal reaches a gateway, each of the one or several amplifiers being configured for being installed on one of the intermediate cars;   the gateway being configured for receiving any beacon signal, said gateway to be installed on the last car and configured for transmitting any received beacon signal to a central processing unit (CPU);   said CPU being connected to said gateway and configured for determining a presence of said first beacon by identifying, in the beacon signals transmitted by said gateway, the unique identifier of said first beacon.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each amplifier or each beacon comprises a hand clamp base configured for being removably fixed onto a respective car of the guided vehicle without requiring a tool. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said hand clamp base is a magnetic base. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2 , comprising one or more mechanical receiving parts, with each mechanical receiving part being configured for being fixedly installed on a car of the guided vehicle, and wherein each mechanical receiving part is configured for receiving a mechanical structure of said hand clamp base in order to removably fix the base onto the car. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one additional beacon, with each additional beacon being configured for being installed on one of the intermediate cars, and wherein each additional beacon is configured for wirelessly broadcasting a signal comprising a unique identifier enabling an identification of the additional beacon broadcasting the signal. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each amplifier is configured for amplifying any received beacon signal and for wirelessly rebroadcasting the beacon signal once amplified. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein, during an initialization phase, said CPU is configured for storing in a memory the unique identifier of each beacon installed on the guided vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said CPU is configured for automatically indicating a need of an amplifier for extending a transmission range of the signal broadcasted by the first beacon. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said CPU is configured for automatically triggering an alert if the unique identifier of the first beacon cannot be identified or found by the CPU in any received beacon signal. 
     
     
         10 . A method for checking an integrity of a guided vehicle, the guided vehicle including a first car, a last car, and optionally one or several intermediate cars between the first car and the last car, the method comprising:
 installing one or several beacons on the cars of the guided vehicle, wherein at least one first beacon is installed on the first car, each beacon wirelessly broadcasting a signal comprising a unique identifier enabling an identification of the beacon broadcasting the signal;   optionally, installing one or several amplifiers respectively on the one or several intermediate cars of the guided vehicle, and using the one or several amplifiers for extending a transmission range of each broadcasted signal so that the signal reaches a gateway to be installed on the last car;   installing the gateway on the last car of the guided vehicle and receiving beacon signals by the gateway;   transmitting, by the gateway, the received beacon signals to a central processing unit (CPU);   checking for a presence of the first beacon by identifying, by the CPU, the unique identifier of the first beacon in the beacon signals transmitted by the gateway.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , which comprises installing one or several additional beacons, with each additional beacon to installed on one of the intermediate cars, and wherein each additional beacon is configured for wirelessly broadcasting a signal comprising a unique identifier enabling an identification of the beacon that is broadcasting the signal. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , which comprises using a hand clamp base for removably affixing onto a car of the guided vehicle each respective amplifier or beacon without requiring a tool. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , which comprises automatically storing in a memory of the CPU the unique identifier of each beacon installed on the guided vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , which comprises automatically indicating, by the CPU, a need of an additional amplifier for receiving the signal broadcasted by the first beacon. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , which comprises automatically triggering an alert if the unique identifier of the first beacon cannot be identified by the CPU in any beacon signal received by the gateway.